Aspects of the invention relate to flow conditioning and, more particularly, to flow conditioning for dilution or mixing holes of gas turbine components in which combustion occurs.
Within gas turbine components in which combustion occurs, such as combustors and transition zones of gas turbines, the separation of incoming flows in and around dilution or mixing holes results in the generation of one or multiple recirculation pockets proximate to the dilution or mixing holes. During combustion operations and under combustion conditions, these recirculation pockets tend to ingest high temperature gases.
The ingestion of the high temperature gases through the dilution or mixing holes may lead to an incidence of relatively significant temperature increases of metals surrounding the dilution or mixing holes. This can lead to damage to the metals and the metallic structures surrounding the dilution or mixing holes. In addition, the residuals of combustibles can react in zones of the recirculation pockets. These reactions may result in detrimental attacks to metal grain boundaries and reductions in the mechanical properties of the metals.